Little Girl
by Miako-sama
Summary: When your child misbehaves you take something the care about from them. When your child is Sesshomaru the only thing he cares about is a little girl. Rated K plus for mild language. Warning: Extreme Fluffiness.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Inuyasha. There is a button on the page where you can tell me what you think of my little story.

The powerful Inu youkai scented the wind as she flew over the countryside. She'd only met the one she saught on one occassion, but she never forgot a scent. It was here, this was the village. She looked down, the humans were like ants but her form could hardly be missed and the yelled and pointed as she began to fall like a shooting star to the village center.

In an instant She stood before the frightened town folk. long silver hair in two ponytails, a cresent moon on her brow and a dainty magenta stripe on each cheek. Her gold eyes scanned the panicking crowd with mild amusement, humans were so easy to startle.

"Youkai, what business have ye here?" an elderly miko with only one eye asked. Another, younger miko stood beside her with an bow and arrow at the ready.

Before she could reply two men, a monk and a hanyou in red ran up from the other side. "Who the hell are you?" The hanyou demanded drawing his sword.

Her mission was temporarily forgotten as she looked at the young hanyou. His kimono was made from the hair of the fire rat, his eyes were honey colored, and in his hands he gripped the legendary sword, Tessaiga.

"You must be Izayoi's boy."

His eye widened. "You knew my mother?"

"I knew of her. Now you may sheath Tesseiga, I bore her no grudge and have no reason to harm you." She smiled serenely at him.

Before he could process everything she'd just said a small figure slipped past him, assuring him it was ok. She bowed before the youkai "Sesshomarusama isn't here right now." Rin told her.

She smiled down at the child "I didn't expect him to be, the spiteful brat. Who is the leader of this village."

"Keadesama is." The child replied pointing at the older of the two miko.

The younger, she noticed, had lowered her weapon and was staring at her. "Are... Are you his..."

Addressing Keade She said "When Sesshomaru comes to this village, give him a message." She grabbed Rin and leaped into the sky, "If he wants this child back he'll have to play fetch with his mother." And before any one could rescue Rin they had disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru's mother was never given a name in the manga but I have read many have nick named her Inukimi. I don't care for the name but for simplicity's sake I'll use it. Don't forget to tell me if you like it. Or if you hate it (Though you may also feel free to kiss my grits if you do.)

Inukimi regarded the little girl who now stood before her in her palace. The child hadn't screamed. She'd shown up unannounced and grabbed her, she honestly expected the child to be terrified. But she hadn't screamed. She now stood before the youkai with wide, curious eyes. Nervous, but not terrified. Was she really that trusting?

Of course the child was in no danger. She was merely there to force Sesshomaru to heed his mother's summons. Something he had not done the last several times she'd summoned him to the palace. How long until he realized what was missing?

"Little girl, how often does Sesshomaru visit you in that village?"

The girl shrugged, "Some times Sesshomarusama visits Rin every day. Sometimes Rin must wait a few months. Sesshomarusama is very busy."

So they might have to wait a while. Did the child always speak in the third person? It seemed childish, granted kind of cute. She was adorable, but what was Inukimi going to do with this little girl while they awaited Sesshomaru's arrival? Her husband had always said she was poor at planning, perhaps he had been right. Well, she knew one thing that needed done with the little girl. She summoned one of her maids in waiting "Get this child into a bath and her kimono into the wash. She smells like her village."

"Yes my lady, and what shall she wear while her kimono is being washed? Or is she to be eaten?"

"Have I ever been known to eat human flesh?" honestly she found the idea slightly nauseating. "This child belongs to my son. Find something appropriate."

The maid in waiting turned to Rin, "What is your station?"

Inukimi had been about to walk away, but stopped to hear the child's answer. She had watched them when Sesshomaru had followed the hell hound into the Meido to retrieve the child. Had witnessed how devastated he'd been when he discovered he could not revive her. She knew very well what this little girl was to Sesshomaru, but did the child know?

"Station?"

"Yes, what are you to Sesshomarusama? Your clothing is to fine for a servent. are you a pet of some sort maybe?"

The child blink in surprise, pet certainly had not occured to her. "Rin is Rin." She asnwered simply.

"Come now child, I need more information than that if I am to decide what you should wear after your bath." The maid replied with irritation.

Inukimi turned back to look at Rin and the maid. "You see how she is dressed now. She should be dressed in a similar fashion once bathed."

"But my lady, Sesshomarusama seems to have dressed her as though she were his..."

"My son has dressed her has he see's fit. I will not repeat myself."

The maid paled and bowed. "Yes my lady." She replied then ushered Rin away for a bath.

Inukimi turned to another maid and commanded "Inform the kitchens that they must find out what and how often a human child must eat." 'What is it,' She wondered as she walked away, 'about these humans that intrigued my husband, intrigue my son so?'


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Inuyasha, kay? Just borrowing the characters. Fluffy chapter. Please review.

Inukimi couldn't sleep. Not that she needed much. Like most nights she walked the dark halls of her palace. She was alone. She passed the occasional guard, but she was alone.

When her husband was alive they used to enjoy walking the palace by night. When most of the staff was asleep and after the pup had been fed and put to bed. It was a time to talk, to dream and plan. Now it was a time for her to think with out the distractions of day time.

She smiled remembering those late night talks. When Sesshomaru had gotten older and needed less sleep they would occasionally let him stay up with them. It was a rare treat for him, but he seemed to enjoy it. She would have let him stay up more often, but Taisho said she spoiled the boy. She over indulged him. Is that where she went wrong?

She was roused from her musings by a soft whimper, like a puppy crying. It came from the room in which Sesshomaru's human slept, she'd almost forgotten about the little girl. She supposed her staff fed and put the child to bed hours ago.

She slid the door open and slipped in like a shadow. She could see the little girl curled in a tight ball. The child whimpered again and whispered "Mama, wake up." For the first time she wondered where the child's parents were, how she came to be in Sesshomaru's care.

Of course any number of things could have killed her parents. Such frail creatures, short lived. She didn't hate humans any more than she loved them, it was pointless to care about them either way. The little girl whimpered again And Inukimi flashed back to when Sesshomaru had had nightmares. There hadn't been many, and they'd stopped long before he was as big as this girl.

She knelt down beside the child and began to reach for her but stood back up as Rin jerked awake with a scream. The child sat up clutching her chest and taking deep breaths. Then ever so slowly She looked up at the youkai standing over her.

"Go back to sleep child." Inukimi told her then left the room. As she had when her son had been small she stopped just outside the door and listened for the child to sleep. Would she? She'd done nothing to sooth her, of course she wasn't sure how you soothed a human to sleep. The child was still awake, should she go back in? She shook her head for being ridiculous and walked away.

Rin was up awfully early, Inukimi thought, considering the child had not slept well. She'd spotted the child in a hallway that had a discolored board. Taisho had always planned to get the floor fixed, but never got to it. He had more important things on his mind. Rin was walking along the board, heel to toe, trying to keep her feet on that board alone. Sesshomaru had once played that very same game. Rin reached the end of the board and spun on one foot to make a return trip. Then she realized she was being watched and put her foot down to stand normally.

Inukimi put her palm out and waved her fingers down, beckoning the child to her. Rin obeyed straight away and trotted up to the youkai. So different from Sesshomaru. He'd always been a contrary child and would try to ignore his mother as long as he could without getting in trouble. He'd been spanked more than a few times, if she recalled properly.

"What sort of things do you do?" She asked the child. She'd just remembered how fast a bored pup could get into trouble, and so far this human child seemed similar. She needed to give her some way to occupy her time.

"I help Keadesama with her chores." the child replied.

"Last night you were speaking in the third person."

The child dropped her gaze and fidgeted. "Keadesama likes me to speak properly, but sometimes I forget. I spoke like that for a long time with Sesshomarusama."

So it was a bad habit she'd lapsed into. "Were you frightened child?"

She nodded, still looking down, "A little."

"Look up child." Rin obeyed at once, "No one in this palace will harm you. Once I have seen my son you may go home. Now I have no chores to give you. What other things do you like to do?"

"Well, I like to play with Shippo. And with Kohaku when he is around. And I like to go to the field and pick flowers"

Flowers huh? "Come with me little girl." She lead Rin out to a large courtyard filled with flowers in every shade imaginable, flowering trees and a bridge over a koi pond. "I feel I have to many flowers in my garden, perhaps you can help me. Pick as many as you like."

"As many as I like? What if Rin picks them all?" She asked, being silly.

"Then I would be impressed. Sesshomaru could not manage to pick them all."

"Sesshomarusama picked flowers?" She asked smiling in wide eyed disbelief.

Inukimi sank to one knee to be closer to the child's level. laughing she explained "Once when he was cross with me he decided he was going to pick all my flowers and throw them over the palace walls so I couldn't look at them. I must say he made pretty good progress until he became tired and fell asleep curled in his flower pile."

Rin giggled hysterically as she imagined a child Sesshomaru sleeping in a pile of flowers. "Did... Did he use his mokomokosama... as a blanket?" She giggled, imagining how cute he would have been with flowers in his fluff.

"He was only a child, he didn't have it yet."

"Oh." She sounded mildly disappointed by that.

"What he did have was eyes and markings to big for his face, a cowlick in his bangs because he wouldn't sit still when I trimmed them, and a snaggle toothed snarl from losing a milk tooth earlier that day."

Rin started giggling hysterically again, imagining a snaggle toothed Seshomaru with a cowlick.

Inukimi stood back up. "Now, once you've regained our composure I believe you have some flowers to pick." With that she walked to her study, which happened to be adjoining the garden, and from which she could still hear the child's occasional fits of giggling

Before long she decided she wanted a cooling breeze and opened the door to the garden. The child already had flower chains around her neck and head and was now chasing butterflies. The child tripped and Inukimi Stiffened slightly. But the child bounced right back up giggling so the youkai returned to the poem she was trying to compose.

After a couple of hours or so, Inukimi wasn't sure how long, she was distracted by the sound of tiny feet approaching her. She looked up and the child held out a handful of flowers to her. She heard one of the maids run to fetch a vase without even being told.

"I thought since you're so busy and stuck inside I would bring some flowers to you." Rin explained.

Inukimi accepted the flowers with a smile. Rin wandered away and began looking at the scrolls adorning the wall. The youkai looked back up when she heard a soft voice slowly sounding out the writing on one of them. "Oh, you can read?"

Rin turned back around. "A little Kagomesama started teaching me when she came home. She said if Rin.. if I could read and write I'd have more opportunities in the future." The child gave a small shrug.

"Then we should not neglect your education while you are here. I believe I still have the scrolls Sesshomaru learned to read with, and plenty of paper and ink so you can practice your writing."

Before her lady had finished talking one of the maids had set up a second table with the school supplies. Rin thanked Inukimi and the maid then sat down to practice.

"Sesshomaru's hand writing isn't much better than your's, even now." Inukimi told her a while later, checking over her work. "He never cared much for reading and writing. I had so much trouble getting him to practice either. Boys, they'd much rather be outside wrestling each other in the dirt. Speaking of which I think you've studied enough, there are still to many flowers in my garden."

Rin grinned at her and ran back outside to play while Inukimi left to attend to matters in other areas of the palace.


	4. Chapter 4

I have become slightly intoxicated after consuming an entire bottle of mead by myself, so please excuse any spelling and grammatical errors I have made.

I do not own inuyasha or any of the other characters in the anime/manga, I merely borrow them for my own amusement. And no, I do not ship adult characters with children, that is just sick.

One more thing about this chapter "IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!""

Inukimi awoke with a start, she'd heard her pup scream. Half way to his room she remembered, her pup was a grown man and had not live in her palace for centuries. What was she thinking, imagining she heard her puppy cry? Then she remembered the human child. Had she had another nightmare?

It didn't matter if the child had had a nightmare, she was merely bait for her son. And yet she found herself outside the child's room, listening to the soft sobbing from within. She slid the door back and saw the child sitting up on her futon, knees, drawn to her chest, one arm wrapped around them and wiping her eyes on her other sleeve.

She crossed the room quickly and knelt before the child, "Hush now, there is no need for tears."

Rin didn't lift her tiny chin from her knees, but she lowered her arm and looked up at the youkai before her. She tried to nod but then she whimpered and fresh tears leaked from her eyes.

"Hush child." She repeated, wiping away Rin's tears. Then she drew back her hand and stared in shock. This was not Sesshomaru, why was she trying to comfort the pup as though she were her son? "What on Earth do you dream about?" The question slid off her tongue before she could stop it.

The child was silent for a long time. Assuming the child either didn't hear her or didn't wish to answer she stood to leave

"Some times Rin dreams about the wolves." The child whispered.

' _The_ wolves?' Inukimi thought, pausing. The child hadn't said wolves, she'd said _the_ wolves. 'Did the wolves eat your parents, little one?' She thought to herself, slowly turning to look at the child.

"Those dreams aren't so bad anymore." She wiped her eyes on her sleeve again. "If Sesshomarusama isn't able to wake Rin he comes into Rin's dreams and wakes me with Tenseiga." Inukimi knew she'd been revived by Sesshomaru once before. That was why he couldn't revive her after rescuing her from the hell hound, Tenseiga worked but once. Inukimi had brought the child back with her Meido stone for his sake. But if those dreams were not so bad, what was the reason for her tears?

"Sometimes... Sometimes Rin dreams about bandits." She child whispered after a long silence and began crying again. Inukimi understood, there had been no Sesshomaru there to wake her parents with Tenseiga.

"You were out playing?" She asked, hoping the child had only heard about it. But the child slowly shook her head. She'd seen everything.

Inukimi didn't know what to do for the child so she simply said "You are safe now. No one will harm you here." And turned to leave. The child sniffed and whimpered again.

She stopped and sighed, in the morning she'd deny tonight ever happened, but she was a mother. She turned back around, sat down, and pulled the child into her lap, rocking with her and shushing her until she fell asleep.

Inukimi Slowly opened her eyes and blinked down at the child in her arms. She hadn't meant to fall asleep like she so often had when she'd rocked Sesshomaru like this. She smiled down at the peaceful child in her arms and shook her head, amused at her own behavior. Though the child was adorable.

She laid the sleeping child down on the futon knowing soon it would be time for the child to be woken for her morning meal. As she reached the door it opened and her shocked maid stepped back in surprise, lowering her eyes. Inukimi offered no explanation for her presence in the child's room as she swept by. After all, it was her palace, she'd go where she liked.

Inukimi Stood in the door way to her study watching the little girl. The child had seen so much in her short life. Too much, more than a child should ever see. She'd watched her parents be slaughtered before her eyes. She'd been mauled by wolves and restored to life. She'd been dragged into the underworld in the jaws of a hell hound. And yet she was happy. The happiest child Inukimi had ever met.

She was obedient. She never complained or back talked. The only time The youkai had seen the child cry was when she'd awoken from her nightmare. Otherwise she was pure joy.

Her laughter was infectious as she played in the gardens, under the watchful eye of a kitsune maid. Her songs were a welcome change to the silence that had fallen over the place since her husband had died to protect his concubine and her son had left home. A silence that would fall once more once her son had come for the puppy, for the child she corrected herself.

'Still,' She thought leaving the door open as she sat back down at her writing table 'I will enjoy it while it lasts.' She found herself unable to concentrate and abandoned her task to walk outside. There would be ample time to write later, it was far to lovely a day to waste inside.

She didn't see the child at first. Rin had been spinning herself in circles and fallen over dizzy. The giggles were easy enough to follow however and she soon found the little girl laying splayed out in the tall flowers staring at the clouds. She had a brilliant smile ready for the youkai who soon loomed over her.

Inukimi rewarded her with a small smile of her own then walked away. She found a shady spot under a tree looking out over the courtyard. Soon Rin got to her feet and walked over to sit beside her, humming as she began weaving flowers together.

She was lost in thought when she felt something on her head. She reached up and removed the wreath of flowers and examined it closely. She looked over at the child who had just begun to weave another and placed it back on her head. She saw the child smile brightly as she did.

"Sesshomarusama would never wear Rin's... my flower wreaths." She told the youkai. "He took them off and told me Jaken needed them more."

Inukimi turned a shocked gaze to Rin, "You put flower wreaths on Sesshomaru?" Rin nodded and grinned. Inukimi blinked in surprise then began to giggle, she could just picture his face. Then her giggle grew to full blown laughter. She wrapped Rin in her arms and drew her close. "Oh child, I might have to abduct you again in the future."

She quickly released the child and struggling to regain her composure she reentered the castle. Rin stared after her a moment then, grinning, she jumped up and followed.


	5. Chapter 5

Well I asked really nicely but Rumiko doesn't want to share with me.

Inukimi couldn't seep again. She was wandering the halls of her palace, thinking about happier days. Thinking about her son and husband. The past few days, with the human playing and laughing all through the palace, had been almost like old times.

She slipped into the child's room and gazed down at the child. Her sleep was untroubled tonight. She was glad the child was not in distress, could get the sleep she needed. But at the same time she realized she'd wanted a reason to pick her up and cuddle her again. Did she need a reason? She'd never needed one when Sesshomaru was small. But she didn't want to risk waking the child when she was resting so peacefully.

She came to the girl's room early the next morning while the kitsune maid was getting her ready for the day. She caught the maid singing a soft youkai lullaby while she brushed the child's hair, apparently Inukimi wasn't the only one who had taken a liking to the girl. The maid fell silent as soon as she realized her lady was with them, causing Rin to look around and smile upon seeing her.

"When I first brought the child here I seem to recall asking you to dress her appropriately."

The maid looked at her Lady then at the little girl, what was wrong with how she was dressed? "I... I'm sorry milady, I thought she looked nice." She replied nervously, looking at the child and trying to figure out what she'd done wrong.

"The child requires another bath, after she has eaten see to that. Then I will personally see that she is dressed properly."

"Yes Milady." The maid replied relaxing a tiny bit. She didn't make a mistake after all, Inukimi just wanted to play dress up with the child. And who could blame her? She'd never had a daughter and now she had this beautiful little girl here. Why shouldn't she take advantage of the opportunity?

There were plenty of pretty little kimonos in the palace, many from when the youkai herself was a girl so finding clothes to put on her was no problem. And Rin herself was thrilled with this new game. She'd been born into a simple family, after that she was taken in by a male youkai and later left in the care of an elderly miko, she'd never played dress up before.

Inukimi put dozens of brightly colored silk kimonos on the girl. Allowing Rin to look at her reflection in a mirror, turning this way and that after each change of clothing. She finally settled on a mint green furisode with little blue and white butterflies and sleeves that nearly reached the ground and a bright blue obi tied in an elaborate bow.

Then she decided the girl needed a new hairstyle. She only seemed to wear her hair in one style. She showed the girl a couple of different hair styles, allowing the child to practice them on her royal self then did the girls hair up in two pony tails just like she wore but tied with mint green silk ribbons. Finally she was satisfied. The girl looked like a proper princess.

'She looks like a butterfly.' Kimi thought idly as she watched the human girl. It was after noon. The child had been dressed and then they'd practice writing for a while. Now the child skipped and danced among the flowers while the long sleeves of the furisode fluttered like brightly colored wings.

She liked butterflies. They seemed to serve no real purpose, bees were better pollinators. And they had absurdly short lives. But they were so pleasant to watch as they flitted from flower to flower and danced on the wind. They made her smile. Maybe the child was a butterfly.

Inukimi's little butterfly eventually had to sit down to rest. A moment before she had literally been dancing with the butterflies. Had told the great youkai that's what she was doing when she ran out to were a group of butterflies had gathered around a favorite flower bush and twirled in circles among them. That, of course was after she'd crafted ropes of blossoms to adorn both herself and the youkai.

Before long the child made her way back to the youkai's side with a handful of buttercups. Many considered these flowers weeds, though the youkai could hardly understand why. The little girl obviously didn't see these as weeds and was delighted with her find.

"Buttercups can tell you if a person is sweet." She happily informed the youkai sitting down beside her.

'Is this some human nonsense, or the faciful imaginings of a child?' Inukimi wondered, turning her attention to the girl.

"Kagomesama taught me." The child explained seeing the youkai was interested. "You hold a buttercup under a person's chin. If their chin glows yellow it mean's they're sweet."

Inukimi plucked one of the cheerful yellow blooms from the child's fist and held it under her chin. The shiny yellow petals reflected their golden hue as the child told her. "It would appear they work."

Rin giggled then held another one under Inukimi's chin. "They work on youkai too!"


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Inuyasha. I've only watched Inuyasha, the final act in Japanese, so I don't know how she sounds in English. Does anyone else think it sounds as though she is singing his name? Remember, I like reviews.

It was early afternoon and Inukimi sat under a cherry tree watching Rin trying to catch grasshoppers. Inu pups had an instinct to hunt, often attempting to catch anything that moved. But she never imagined human children also attempted to catch small prey. Yet in the week and a half she'd been there Rin had caught and shown the youkai several fireflies, two frogs, a lizard, and now was trying to catch a grasshopper.

The difference was she showed no interest in killing her prey and released each creature unharmed, with the exception of one firefly she accidentally crushed then broke down in tears over. Inukimi wouldn't soon forget struggling to comfort the child over the accidental death of her prey. Her son had been so proud of his first kill. She vaguely remembered being proud of her first kill too.

It had been a necessary reminder for her that this child was human. She'd been flirting with the idea of keeping the child. But she'd been utterly unprepared for the child's tears over a lowly bug. As much as she'd enjoyed the child's presence Rin was a human child, she needed to be with her own kind. Her son had been wise enough to realize that.

Rin came running toward her giggling with her hands cupped, "I caught one!" She exclaimed proudly. She held out her hands and showed Inukimi her latest capture which immediately leaped at the chance for freedom, landing on the child's head. The youkai snatched the hapless creature from the girl's hair and placed it back in her hands. Rin grinned then whirled around to carry the poor creature back to the bush he'd been nibbling on when she'd ambushed him.

Inukimi caught a familiar scent on the wind, getting stronger as the owner approached rapidly. "Little girl, come here." She called, beckoning the child. Rin obeyed immediately and was instructed to sit beside the youkai as a servant came running up. "I know, let him in." She told him without waiting for him to speak.

After several tense minutes a white figure appeared at the far end of the large courtyard. Rin's face lit up and she tried to stand but Inukimi placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. "Sit." She instructed her.

She watched her son as he approached them, tall and proud. His pace was slow and deliberate. His eyes were slightly narrowed. A small grin graced his lips. He was pissed!

"Sesshomaru..." his name left her lips with a lilt, as though she sung it. "Come sit with us my son."

He ignored the invitation. The grin faltered as his eyes landed on Rin, dressed in a pink floral furisode with ribbons and a bejeweled butterfly in her hair. "Rin is not some doll to be dressed up for you amusement, Mother."

Her eyes widened in mock astonishment and she placed a hand on her chest. "She's not?" She asked sarcastically, Then grinned, "What is she then?"

"Rin, come." Rin tried to obey, but Inukimi still held her.

She rose to her feet, hand still on the child's shoulder and gave her son a cool look. "You stay away for years, ignore your mother's summons, then dare to come to my palace and give orders? Sesshomaru, you forget your place! This is my palace and I am your mother. Do not imagine you will ever be old enough that I will hesitate to discipline you!"

His grin returned. "Mother, you are fortunate it is I and not the hanyou who knows how to find you." The hanyou? His brother. "I have rarely seen him so angry. You made a fool of him, and in front of his wife. An easy task, but admirable none the less. He would strike you down with no hesitation. I will give you the opportunity to return what is mine."

"Hanyou? You may not have cared for Izayoi, but that hanyou carries your father's blood too. He is your brother, Sesshomaru, surely you can use his name? What is his name? You must know it?" Sesshomaru stared at her darkly, refusing to answer.

"Stubborn, disobedient brat. Little girl, you answer my question, what is the hanyou's name?" She looked up with wide eyes, then gave Sesshomaru a panicked look, would he be angry if she did? "Answer me, Rin. His name?"

"Kagomesama's husband? H-his name is Inuyashasama."

"The woman who teaches your ward to read is your sister-in-law, and you want even honor the family by using his name? I know I raised you better than that, Sesshomaru."

"Perhaps I use his name to those who need to know it. Return Rin now!" He growled.

"You want this child back?" She grinned and pulled Rin behind her. The kitsune maid grabbed Rin and pulled her out of harms way and Inukimi's eyes turned red. "Come and get her!"


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own this most awesome anime.

The kitsune maid pulled Rin backward into the palace as her mistress took the form of a giant white dog that growled down at her son. He didn't want to fight her, she was his mother. But she'd taken his Rin and apparently this was the only way to get the child back.

His silver hair was lifted from his back and his eyes turned red. A moment later he stood before his mother in his true form. Then both dogs began to growl and circle each other.

He lunged at his mother but she dodged him. He was larger, stronger, but she was faster and much more nimble. He lunged and missed again. When he lunged and missed the third time she saw an opening and clamped her jaws around his throat, shaking her head back and forth like a dog with a stuffed toy.

He lifted his paw and batted her away, scratching her muzzle as he did. Then he managed to grab her by the ear and flung her across the court yard, his teeth leaving long gashes. She landed on her back but rolled instantly to her feet and launched at him, grabbing the back of his neck.

He rolled, dislodging her and tried to clamp his jaws around her leg. He managed to grab her foot but this allowed her to turn and bite his muzzle. Snarling he release her foot and reared up on his hind legs, trying to pin her.

She whipped around and grabbed his hind leg, pulling it out from under him and causing him to fall. Then she tried to pin him. Both dogs snarled and growled. Bit at muzzles, paws, and any other available body part. Rolling and rearing as they bit each other viciously. It went on forever.

Sesshomaru managed at long last to pin Inukimi with his jaws around her throat. But he didn't bite down hard. She was his mother, the only parent left to him. And Rin was watching. His Rin, whom she had stolen. Still, she was his mother.

He didn't hold her tightly enough. She, sensing his hesitation, broke free and the fight resumed. Snarling, biting, leaping they fought.

Finally she managed to pin him with her jaws around his windpipe. She didn't hesitate but clamped her jaws down tightly. He struggled and thrashed, but she held tightly to her son's throat, starving him for air. His head swam, his vision began to darken. He reverted back to a human shape, the only way to escape her jaws.

He climbed to his feet, his mother had also resumed a human shape and regarded him coolly. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with the exertion of their fight. He also panted facing her. Mirroring each other they wiped spit and blood from their chins.

Behind her was the open door from which Rin and the kitsune had watched the battle. Rin was still clutched in the maid's arms. He locked his burning eyes on his mother's. "What right do you have to keep my puppy from me?" He demanded.

His mother smiled slowly, he'd admitted it, whether he'd meant to or not. The child was his puppy. She turned slowly to look at the girl. She'd known it from the moment he'd stepped into the Meido to save her. But there was the undeniable proof, his own admission.

Inukimi whipped back around to glare at her son and he was shocked to see her eyes sparkling with tears. "What right have you to keep my puppy from me Sesshomaru? How many times have you been home to see your mother in these two hundred years? Do you know? I do, I can count them on one hand! And always it's to ask a question and leave as soon as you have your answer."

"How many times..." She continued, "did I remind you that you still had a home here. I waited for you to come see me. Then I asked. Finally I demanded and still you wouldn't heed my request. I took your puppy because mine wouldn't come when I called him!" She'd blinked rapidly, forcing the tears back, but they remained in her eyes, threatening to fall.

"I took her because my puppy ran away from home." She turned her back on him. She was silent for a long while. "I don't know what I have done to make you despise me so." It was almost a whisper. "Take your puppy and go!"

The kitsune released Rin. Then scampered away, unnerved at seeing her lady so close to losing control. Rin began to walk to Sesshomaru, but gazed up at Inukimi with concern in her eyes. The proud youkai didn't look down at the girl but stared at the wall as the child passed her.

The child paused beside her and reached out to squeeze her hand. She allowed her fingers to close around the child's hand for a moment. Then counted the steps it would take the child to reach her son. For her son to turn and walk away from her. Only then did she let a single tear fall down each cheek.

She wiped them away with her sleeve then took a shuddering breath. Composure regained she turned back around to watch her son's retreating back. Only he hadn't moved.

He held tightly to Rin's hand, as though afraid his mother might steal her back again. But he stared at his mother, eyes slightly wider than normal. Then quickly adverted his eyes, as though ashamed to witness her tears. "I do not despise you."

"Then why?"

He didn't answer. He wasn't sure how to answer. Then something purple in the corner caught his eye. Those wisteria trees were new. Well, they hadn't been there two hundred years ago anyway.

He'd been so focused on getting his child back he hadn't looked at the garden properly. His eyes went from one corner to the next. He noted the paint on the walls was different. And a rock garden had been added to the corner opposite the wisteria trees. He turned his head, that pond didn't have a bridge before.

"I've made some changes." She took a few steps towards him and her voice dropped to a whisper. "It didn't feel like my home at first. It was too quiet, the memories..." She shook her head. "Would you like to see some more changes, my son?" He stared at her for a long moment, then he gave her a single nod.

A few hours later Sesshomaru led Rin down the stairs. He had not seen all the changes his mother had made. She'd taken her time showing him around. But the sun had set long ago, and Rin was getting tired.

Inukimi made it clear they were welcome to spend the night. His own room had been kept in order, or he could sleep in a guest room nearer to his pup if he wished. But he either wouldn't or couldn't spend the night, though he'd expressed an interest in continuing the tour at a later time. For now that was enough.

Rin rubbed her eyes then scratched her head, then gasped. She'd changed into her own kimono but had forgotten the jeweled butterfly clip. She yanked it out of her hair and ran up the steps to inukimi.

"I forgot about your hair clip." She apologized, holding the clip out to the youkai.

"I have to many." She replied indifferently. "It shows up better against dark hair anyway." Rin stared at her. She took the clip from the child's hand and placed it back in her dark hair. Now Rin gaped at her.

She smiled gently down at the child, then made a shooing motion with her hand. "My son is waiting for you." The little girl nodded and bowed before skipping down the steps to Sesshomaru, who'd watched the whole exchange. Then she shot her another brilliant smile and waved.

She was like a butterfly. Her life would be ridiculously short, but she'd make many people smile while she was here. Inukimi would never know when she died, nor would she mourn her any more than any other visitor that danced in her garden. But she remembered every single butterfly.

"Sesshomaru." He stopped and looked back at his mother. "Perhaps Rin would like to complete the tour at some point in the future as well." He nodded once then they continued on their way.

the end.


End file.
